The Girl With The Long Red Hair
by secretpenname3
Summary: She announces her existence to the whole class as loud as she can. Minato thinks that if she had it her way, she would have announced it to the whole world. MinatoXKushina
1. What You Never Knew

**My reasons for making this one-shot is simple. I love them to death, probably equally to how much I love Sasuke and Naruto. Seriously, these two are amazing and I wish they had more screen time!**

**Major spoilers so beware.**

**Disclaimer: psha, yeah right**

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When Minato first meets Kushina he's only a kid and yet his first thought was that she had the most beautiful hair he'd ever seen in his entire life. The fact that she was short and pudgy with grass-stained clothes and dirt smudged cheeks didn't even bother him in the least. In fact, if he was being honest he'd say that those things only heightened his curiosity for her.

The Jounin at her side pushes her forward with a grim face but a gentle pat against her back, talking steadily to a class full of academy students with a voice that sounded harsh but with a hint of wariness that she was a refugee and that it was their duty to welcome her into Konoha with open arms. The kids around Minato grumble amongst themselves about foreigners and other useless things about invasions. Things that Minato never once cared about.

The Jounin turns to leave but the small girl he left behind doesn't seem to care. Everything else is drowned out because Minato hears the voice of an angle for the very first time. She squares her back and her beautiful green eyes pierce through his as she raises her chin defiantly, a fire burning in her eyes and Minato is floored by the strong and powerful voice that leaves her mouth. –Listen up everyone! My name is Uzumaki Kushina of Whirlpool!-

She announces her existence to the whole class as loud as she can.

Minato thinks that if she had it her way, she would have announced it to the whole world.

/./.

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It takes a while, but eventually, Minato finally manages to get her attention. Not because he likes her or anything, no, no, because things like that is just plain _gross_. He just wants her to look at him, just one peek, and if he's lucky, he just might get to touch her hair.

So far, for the past week she's been there in that class room, she hadn't looked at him once, not since her first appearance into his classroom, his _life_.

When they are asked what they want to be when they grow up Minato stands tall with a gentle fist on his chest. –I want to be a Hokage that everyone will respect and admire.-

It was then, _finally_, she looks at him. Though Minato isn't sure that look in her eye was good or bad. But that didn't matter at the time because she _looked_ at him.

That was enough for him.

/./.

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Weeks pass and Minato isn't sure he can handle not doing anything when he begins to notice bruises on her. He doesn't know why they are there, so dark and purple like on her dirt smudged skin, but he knows that he doesn't like it. And if he's being honest, like he usually is, he'd admit that he in fact _hates___it.

During recess, instead of staying inside he ventures through the halls and eventually makes his way toward the play-ground and it's there that he sees a sight so heinous his heart nearly stops. She's surrounded by boys, on her grass-stained knees, angry defiant eyes ablaze with her hair, her _beautiful_ red hair seized in a harsh fist of a boy from another class.

In his hand a pair of black scissors.

Minato wasn't sure how he would get to her in time, but god was he determined to. Only, it wasn't him that saved her hair from such horrible destruction like he thought he was going to.

In fact, no one saved her.

Because with a scream of pure determination Kushina kicked her leg out and slammed her foot dead on the other boy's shin with a crack, her fist flinging out and burring itself into another boy's stomach. The two boys collapse with cries of pain as they curl around their injured parts.

In retrospect, Minato should have known better than to keep standing where he was, right next to her as she flies into a rage, attacking the many boys that surrounded her, which made Minato one of her targets by default.

He steps away to avoid a wild fist to the face and nearly sighs in relief when it misses.

Two other boys gang up on her but Minato wasn't about to let some idiots get the drop on her. Before they could even think about knocking her down Minato tackles them to the ground with surprising strength, startling Kushina as she was about to fight with everything she had.

In the end a teacher breaks up the fight by yelling and grabbing the groaning boys by the scruffs of their shirts demanding the know just what the hell was going on and why the hell are they all beaten up and where the hell has Minato and Kushina gone, they were just there a minuet ago!

On the other side of the playground wall Minato is panting and Kushina is flushed because this strange flake of a boy had grabbed her hand and run away from school with her.

Minato's eyes are darting everywhere because this is the first time he's ever gotten into a fight at school and his punishment is going to be so much worse because he's runaway from school.

He takes a deep breath and to calm himself down and he turns around to smile brilliantly to Kushina who is still flushed because why is this boy still holding her hand? –We're safe for now Uzumaki-san- Minato tells her with a boyish grin.

He doesn't have time to question why she suddenly turns even redder than her hair because all he could honestly remember after that was a flash of brilliant, vermillion red and then pain because she just punched him out and all he could hear as the world went dark was her ranting voice, octaves higher than he's ever heard them before. –Who the hell do you think you are grabbing me like that you sissy flake? Who said I wanted you to help me out? Who said it was okay for you to intervene? Why aren't you responding? Hey, I'm talking to you!-

Her voice was the last think his brain acknowledges as he passes out with a goofy smile on his lips.

/./.

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When they graduate from the academy it isn't like Minato had envisioned at all. There were no claps on the back with the usual –congratulations- or even a hint of a smile. Instead there are frowns, wary gazes and war torn hands shoving a forehead protector in his hands with the orders to go home and pack because there is a war to win and he's being sent out on very dangerous but important mission.

Minato is only nine and in a few months he'll be ten.

But when there's a full out war there's no time to be frightened or squeamish about little details like that.

He's only nine when he stands before the village gates, the pack on his back feeling heavier than usual. His sensei is legendary, Jiraiya, student of the third Hokage and the Toad Sage. His two teammates, Himiko and Junta don't say much, but they stand beside him, kicking idly at the ground waiting patiently for any of them to give the signal to leave. Jiraiya couldn't come to meet them so they had to travel to meet him; only problem was that he was stationed near the front lines. Minato nods his head with his blue eyes fierce and turns to leave before a whirlwind of red slams into him from behind.

Kushina hugs him with the force of a thousand men but Minato doesn't care because this is his best friend since that day she knocked him out after he attempted to save her from bullies at the academy. She holds him tightly before slinging a necklace over his neck. –Be safe you stupid flake-. She tells him and then thumps him on the back for good measure because if he doesn't make it home safely she'll gut him after forcing him to buy her ramen.

Minato laughs a bit and tugs her hair gently for good measure because she should know better than to ever doubt him by now.

Kushina shrieks and kicks him harshly on the bum and screams at him to hurry up and finish him mission already so they can go train together and by the way don't ever touch her hair or else she, Kushina Uzumaki of Whirlpool will personally kick his sorry ass back to the academy.

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When Minato comes back from a routine mission weeks later, he doesn't get to see Kushina like he imagined he would. She wasn't waiting by the village gates and she wasn't at her favorite ramen place. He goes looking for her at her favorite spots but turns up empty handed. Until of course he sees Mikoto sitting by the docks. When he reaches her he sees that her face is deeply troubled and he suddenly feels like he's filled with dread. –Mikoto, where's Kushina?- he asks her even though he feels as though he doesn't want to know the answer.

She looks at him with deep black eyes filled with worry and tells him that yesterday she was called to the Hokage's office by none other than two ANBU escorts and she hasn't seen her since.

At the end of the day he's denied entry to Kushina's house because she needs to recover for undisclosed reasons and there's no need for him to know just because he's her friend.

When he finally does get to meet her she's sitting on her bed with a blank expression on her face, her hands fisting her shirt with white knuckles right over her belly.

She doesn't speak much but her eyes are glassy and unfocused. Minato stays by her side until _finally_ she turns to speak to him with a quiver in her voice. –Hey you sissy flake, how was your mission?-

Minato never asks any questions and Kushina never tells.

**/./.**

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Years later when Minato gets back from a long mission he has a panic attack.

Because Kushina has been missing for two days and the Hokage has been sending teams of Anbu to try and find her only to come up empty with the conclusion that she's been taken.

Minato takes all but a minute to swallow the rage, panic and fear to sprint to her home in hopes of finding any clues at all to help find her. His panic begins to bubble back up because he finds nothing. He spends the rest of the day running around the village like an idiot because he's so scared and she's gone, _gone_ without a trace and if Anbu can't find her damn it all the hell he _will_.

It's small and barely there when it flashes in the corner of his eye, _there,_ almost non-existent, is a strain of the most beautiful hair he's ever laid eyes on.

There's no time to alert Anbu, or anyone else because he's alone and there's no time to wait because they have Kushina and there's no time to lose. So he sprints because he beings to notice that it's not just a random strain, it's a trail; he smiles to himself because Kushina has always been clever and once he rescues her he knows she's never going to let this one go because as she's always said, she doesn't need anyone to save her.

He'll have to apologize to her later and hopefully she won't knock him out for trying to come to her rescue.

/./.

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When he finds her, he doesn't give the enemy a warning of any kind. She's blind folded and tied up and for that he's grateful because then that means she won't have to see the kind of monster he's capable of becoming when someone precious to him is taken away.

He fights the whole band of enemy nin for hours until finally, she's in his arms. He holds her tight and jumps up to the tallest tree because he doesn't want her to see just how badly he destroyed them in his silent rage. He unties her and pulls off the blindfold last. The wind is blowing and he smiles down at her bewildered face. She looks flabbergasted and she demands to know just how in the hell he managed to find her. He responds will all the honesty in the world with a smile because such a situation requires nothing less. –Your hair is so beautiful, how could anyone have missed it?-

Her face turns red and she looks away muttering under breath about stupid flaky boys and their dramatics.

/./.

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When he brings her home the Anbu immediately intercepts them, demanding that they be allowed to take her at once. Minato scowls but Kushina jumps away from him and follows them willingly, complaining that she was fine, she wasn't a weakling idiots! Minato moves to follow but an anbu with silver long hair informs him that he is to report to the Hokage right away.

It's there, in the Hokage's office that he learns of the shocking truth, about the demon that's locked away deep in Kushina's body.

The Third Hokage tells Minato that it's crucial that she remain safe.

Minato doesn't respond.

When he walks to the hospital where he knows the Anbu took her she's sitting up in bed, fiddling with the ends of her long hair. When she spots him she gives him a cheeky smile and asks what the old man wanted.

He cracks a smile and reaches over to tug on her hair. –Nothing that will ever change anything really.-

**/./.**

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When they're teenagers Minato feels a rage unlike any other because an enemy nin grabs Kushina by the hair and slams her face down into the dirt snarling into her ear that there is no such thing as Uzumakis' _or_ whirlpool you stupid cunt because they're dead; all of them!

Minato slams a kunai into his spine and _twists_ because no one is allowed to speak to his best friend that way.

Kushina doesn't say much for the rest of the day and that's what scares Minato the most because she's Uzumaki Kushina, a whirlwind and flurry of noise.

When they get ambushed again Kushina stands tall and shouts into the sky (Minato thinks that if she had it her way, she would have announced it to the whole world) that she is Kushina Uzumaki of Whirlpool and as long as she's alive so is the spirit of her fallen country.

Its then, watching her stand so tall and beautifully, red hair flying in the wind like strings of fate that it finally hits Minato that these strange feelings are ones of the purest of all forms.

Love.

When it's all said and done and the second ambush fails there's one enemy left. He has sky blue eyes and black strait hair. During the whole ambush he hadn't made one move against them and it's for that reason that they left him alive. Kushina scowls at him and he simply smiles back at her. It's no guess that he's years younger than them. Instead of fighting them, he reaches into his pack and asks if he could trade some of his food with hers because it's been so long since he's had anything other than food ration bars cold or not.

Minato isn't bothered in the least when she sits next to him and they begin trading weapons and food. It was a common occurrence really seeing as how this nin had no desire to fight. When it begins to get dark the boy is munching away on a pack of chips he had traded for a ration bar he smiles at Kushina once again. –I heard of Kushina Uzumaki from the Land of Whirlpool.- he says. –From one of the other shinobi who you've fought. If you're from there, you then that place _must_ be an amazing place to live at.-

Kushina remains quiet before she bites into her food –It was.-

Minato knows that that must have been the most amazing, moment of her life because she got what she wanted, as long as she remains alive and shouts her existence to the world, the spirit of her fallen country lives on.

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When they're older and Kushina squeals and swoons because Mikoto had just given birth to her first child; a baby with big absolutely _adorable_ big eyes and oh god Minato, who knew that Fugu-face could make such a beautiful baby? Mikoto smiles and lets Kushina hold her baby because she's her best friend and even though Fugaku doesn't approve nothing will change that.

Kushina tears up at that and holds Itachi to her chest and says almost to herself that she wants a baby too.

Minato chokes on air and turns a brilliant red.

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They end up getting together sometime between Minato getting his own group of gennin and Kushina going through special training with the hokage for things that Minato pretends he doesn't know about.

When Obito and Kushina were in the same room together things tended to get explosive and loud. They were both mischievous, brash and loud. Kakashi rolls his eyes and Rin giggles every time a fight erupts like a volcano between their sensei's girlfriend and their teammate. Minato always chuckles nervously –Now then let's calm down, Kushina, I'm sure Obito will come to regret calling you hag, please put that chair down I don't think he'll survive you breaking it over his skull.- and tries to keep the peace.

Surprisingly, that's how Obito shows that he took a liking to her and tells Minato after nudging him with a mischievous grin that –hey, hey, I saw some guy eyeing your chick, but don't worry, when you're away for missions I'll keep an eye out for her okay?-

Minato finds little assurance in that statement but that doesn't stop him from trying to get Obito to tell him just _who_ has been eyeing her and don't worry, he won't hurt the guy…_much_.

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When Minato comes home one day from a mission, one gennin student less, Kakashi, despite any of his half-hearted protests allows Kushina to draw him in and hold him close. His new eye leaking tears all over her shoulder as rubs his back as she cries with his eye and by extension; Obito. He allows it because he knows that Obito was fond of Kushina and he always secretly liked receiving hugs from her.

That last thought makes his grey eye leak the tiniest of all tears.

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-I'm a demon host.- she blurts it out when they're in a tent in the middle of the war zone and her eyes are so frightened and her face is so pale but she says it anyway because damn it she loves him and she can't stand hiding anything from him and he has a right to know just who he's involving himself with.

Minato doesn't even bat an eye and he holds her close as she sobs and tells her that if it didn't matter to him years back it wouldn't matter now.

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They never do get married, because even though she loves him more than anything, she isn't willing to give up her last name because it's all she has from Whirlpool. Minato tells her he doesn't mind because he doesn't want to take that away from her because he understands, Whirlpool lives on with her as long as she's an Uzumaki.

Jiraiya snorts and asks him why he would even want to get married anyway? It's a waste of time; though he sings a different tune when Kushina beats him to the ground screaming obstinacies and insults for all- the world to hear.

And when they're alone Kushina holds his hand in hers and she tells him that, don't get her wrong, the idea of marriage is great and all, but she's kind of glad they aren't going to get married. Minato smiles gently at her and isn't even hurt in the least.

Because she will always be Kushina Uzumaki and as long as someone holds that name, Whirlpool lives on and he'd be damned if he ever even _considered _taking that from her.

/./.

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On an ordinary day like no other Kushina sits at the kitchen table, refusing the big bowl of ramen Minato was thoughtful enough to give her despite his dislike for the unhealthy food. Minato blinks down at her in shock when she refuses to eat it.

He's been Hokage for a long time already and with the war ended their days had been filled with peace as of late.

He sits on a chair next to hers and asks gently what's wrong because as long as he's known her she's never refused a bowl of ramen. She huffs and fiddles with her hair, puffing out her cheeks in agitation and replies that she doesn't feel good that's all.

When Minato catches her vomiting the next morning he all but drags her to the hospital because seriously Kushina, you've never been sick a day in your life, _something's_ wrong, please don't fight me on this. On their way there they run into Kakashi and he tags along with them because as much as he refuses to admit it, he's fond of her.

After a few agonizing hours the medical nin comes back and she's all smiles and happy faces and Minato is a little less nervous because that _must _be a good sign.

When she tells them that Kushina is pregnant Minato faints dead away and Kushina screams with joy and hugs Kakashi close as Minato's body hits the floor with a thud. –Did you hear that Kakashi? I'm going to be a mother!-

With that she bolts from the room to tell Mikoto while Kakashi fans Minato back to life who slowly wakes up, happiness bursting in his chest.

A baby.

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When Kushina was pregnant, she often lounged on the couch, poking repeatedly at her enlarged stomach and kicking lightly at Minato's leg –rub them, your child is making them sore- she demands with flushed cheeks because no matter how many months pass she still can't get over the fact that there is a baby living inside her.

Their lives together was as perfect as they could make it and when she finally has the child kicking away so avidly in her stomach in her arms she'll be able to gaze into the face of perfection.

Their son; Naruto.

-You know? Despite everything, I think Jiraiya will be the best god-father to ever live.- Minato nods his head and he remembers all the times he's ever shared with the toad-sage. He definitely would.

Minato rubs her sore feet and smiles down at her and Kushina blushes because that look in his blue eyes tells her so many things that words could never hope to. He lets go of her feet and reaches over on the coffee table to take a sip of his water, watching from the corner of his eye as her fingers twitch over her swollen belly.

-I wonder what our grandchildren will look like-.

The water comes shooting out of his lips not a fraction of a second later and he sputtering in shock – Kushina, Love, we don't even have our baby yet, why are you thinking of _grandchildren _already?- She gives him a cheeky grin that reminds him too much of a vixen to be natural and he shivers a bit as she drums her fingers over her tummy once more. –Just think, in a few months we really will be parents, and in a couple of years we'll morph into _grandparents_.- she says it as if it was the most natural thing in the universe.

-Love, the baby isn't even_ born_ yet, don't you think it's too soon to be thinking about being grandparents?- He's giving a nervous chuckle because having one child is enough to frazzle his nerves but jumping all the way to _grandchildren_? He doesn't think his heart could handle such a thing.

Kushina lets out the most beautiful laugh followed by the most beautiful smile she could ever muster because she thinks Minato is the most adorable thing in the world right now with his flushed cheeks, wide eyes and wild blond hair.

Minato smiles back at her and kisses her forehead and swollen belly.

/./.

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When Kushina goes to visit her dear friend Mikoto at her house she can't help but grab her friend's first born son Itachi, by the cheeks and showering him in kisses as the smallest hint of a pout graces his cheeks. –You're just so cute! You look just like your mother with your father's wrinkles!- she gushes because the boy is only six and he's the son of a dear friend and he's just as downright adorable as the day she first laid eyes on him when he was first born.

When she lets go of him he slinks off with a blush on his cheeks and a pout on his lips. Kushina doesn't know it, but he hovers outside of the door because he's very protective over his mother because in her belly sleeps a little brother he's always dreamed of.

He watches as the strange red-haired woman giggles with his gentle mother and Itachi can't help but smile every time they smile.

His gaze droops to both women's belly and wonders briefly if the women would arrange play dates between the baby boys that will be sure to arrive.

Hours later Itachi trails after his mother as she escorts the red-haired woman to the door giggling with her at some joke and giving her as much of a hug. –You be careful on your way home 'Shina-. His mother tells her.

Kushina laughs and she lightly bumps shoulders with Mikoto all the while telling her that god himself wouldn't stand a chance at getting to her or her baby. After a few more minutes of goodbyes and good lucks Itachi watches her leave, a hand on the swell of her belly.

Itachi could practically feel the heartbeat of both babies resonate in their mother's bellies.

Months later, when his baby brother is finally born Itachi cries because Sasuke is the most beautiful thing that he's ever laid eyes on.

/./.

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When everything falls apart Kushina is glad that it's Minato that's by her side.

The night is filled with terror and the mood bleeds red like the beast that was ripped from her body. Those small moments before everything went _wrong_; when she had_ finally _given birth to her baby boy and Minato was by her side, crying tears of joy, it was complete euphoria. Because that was supposed to be the beginning of their lives together with their son; that was supposed to be the part where she would get to hold her son for the first time and gaze into the face of perfection and return home and flaunt him to Mikoto. That was supposed to be the beginning of her live as Kushina Uzumaki, mother of Naruto Uzumaki; a new addition to the clan of the long since lost Land of Whirlpool and not so official but very much happy wife of Minato Namikaze.

When Minato blinks out of existence with their son Kushina nearly cries with joy, because with him, Naruto is sure to be more than safe. Even though she's weak and alone for those few minutes she's never been happier because her two most precious people are okay.

When the demon is forcefully torn from her body her fear begins to grow once more because this is a _demon_, and it's going to destroy her and her new village.

Minato shows up once again and saves her, but it's too late because the demon is loose and oh god _where is her son?_ She's never been so grateful when he brings her to him. She curls around Naruto's tiny form and holds him in her arms for the first time and despite the agonizing pain she's in she's never been happier because her son is _alive_ and unharmed.

Minato watches with grim eyes and he promises to be back soon. This meant so much more than war because someone just threatened his family and his village.

There will be hell to pay.

/./.

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He wishes, with everything in his entire being that it didn't have to end this way. He had envisioned a happy life with Kushina and their son, a life where their son would grow up looking like him and acting like his mother, a life where he would grow old with the love of his life and watch Naruto flourish into a fine ninja.

He didn't want things to end like this, impaled on the Kyuubi's claw, nearly choking on blood, holding Kushina close as she cried and spilled her regrets and wishes to their barely hours old son. He holds her close for one last time and wishes he could hold his son again, but there's no time, not anymore.

With one last look at the most beautiful woman in the world with the most beautiful hair he's ever laid eyes on and one last look at the epitome of perfection, their son, Minato's world goes dark.

/./.

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When Naruto was five years old he knows by a fact that his parents, _whoever_ they are, had abandoned him.

They were never there when his stomach was days empty and his clothes dirty. They weren't there when he was bullied and beaten, they weren't there when people threw rocks at him and they sure as hell weren't there when he cried at night.

Uzumaki Naruto was more than sure that his parent's abandoned him.

/./.

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**Please review and tell me what you think!**


	2. Thank You Anon!

**Dear all readers, I am sorry to say that this is not an update, but fear not, this author's note is actually important.**

***clears throat* I recently got a review from a wonderful anon that pointed out that my story has a striking resemblance to Lisse's fic, "Got A Boy In the War". I felt that I should put this little note out there.**

**I have indeed read Lisse's brilliant fic, but I would like to say however; I wrote this little piece MONTHS before I read that fic, I just never posted it due to the fact that I was constantly re-editing and re-writing it. I would like to say that I never plagiarized and my ideas were my own, no matter how similar our fics may be (which I will admit is actually pretty awesome in a **_**very**_** creepy way). **

**Again, I did not copy her or plagiarized or anything like that and I would like to take the time to properly thank that Anon for pointing this out to me, I don't want to be seen as a thieve, copy-cat, etc.**

**Everyone, please have a nice day and I hope this cleared up any confusion and ill feelings, Lisse is a brilliant writer and I cannot even HOPE to be as good as her. You all should go and read her stuff, she's just simply amazing! **


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